Live the life you want

This is the Holstee Manifesto. They are a design company, which isn't my area of expertise at all, but I love their manifesto, and thought I had to share it with more people.

Holstee designs are also stunning -To find out more about these guys, check out this site.

Almond Nut Milk

Extravagantly rich, deliciously creamy almond nut milk is the ideal dairy substitute. It is a large part of raw food diets, and is a healthy addition to vegan and vegetarian diets. Almonds are rich in protein (with 26% carbohydrates), fibre, and mono unsaturated fats. This is a cocktail of unrefined macro nutrients that satisfy ones health and taste buds.

What you will need:

A blender, almonds, water, natural vanilla essence/extract, salt, dates/honey/agave/xylitol.

When purchasing your almonds to make your nut milk, take note of their shape. Almonds come in two different varieties – the short fat bitter kind, and the larger slender sweet kind. Experiment with these and find the variety you prefer.

The quantities of almonds and water you use, depends entirely on how rich you like your milk. Start with 2 cups almonds to 4 cups water, and adjust your recipe from there.

How to make Almond Nut Milk: 8 Easy steps:

1. Soak almonds for 6-8 hours i.e. overnight

2. Discard the water and rinse

3. Add nuts, water to cover, a few drops of natural vanilla, a pinch of salt, and a light sprinkle of xylitol (or try raw honey or a few dates if rather desired).

4. Blend

5. Pour contents through a muslin cloth (I used a pair of stockings layered twice I.e. leg in leg)

6. Squeeze the liquid out into a container

7. Save the nut fibre for something else, like a stuffing, a tart crust, or a nut bake.

8. Serve in a glass on its own, or in cereal etc. Can be refridgerated for up to 3 days.
   

Health benefits of Almonds:

Almond nut milk is thought to be good for weight watchers because it fills for longer. This may be due to the Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids it contains, which help stabilise blood sugar levels, and are also shown to lower LDL ('bad' cholesterol), and raise HDL ('good' cholesterol).

Almonds contain significant doses of the alkalising electrolytes Magnesium, Calcium and Potassium – involved in bone and heart health, and nerve and muscle function. Not to mention that Calcium is involved in blood clotting, and Potassium rich foods are a vital addition to the typical western diet which is high in sodium.

Other nutrients found in almonds include the antioxidant Vitamin E, which helps combat the damaging effects of ageing and environmental toxins, and Folic Acid, a B vitamin involved in DNA and energy metabolism, and essential in the diets of pregnant moms.

Raw Food Workshop

Introduction to Raw
with Serna Kramer, by Monica Codevilla and Ryre Cornish

To Raw or not to Raw??
There has been numerous speculation about Raw food diets. It seems to be a growing trend amongst many individuals seeking a better quality of life. Why would someone want to eat only raw food when there is so much taste variety to choose from? And most importantly what does raw food entail? To be honest when we first heard of eating Raw we visualised nothing but fruit and salads without all the juicy bits, but we were pleasantly surprised after experiencing the Raw food workshop with Serna. We now realise there is so much more to Raw food that meets the eye and understand why individuals choose this way of life due to the endless health benefits.

The benefits are endless from having regular bowel movements, a healthy, and stable weight, to boundless energy Not only that, but raw foodists are also known for their clear skin and sparkly eyes. Serna is an inspiration as she was able to shed excess kilos once she started listening to what her body really needed, and bid cravings farewell now that her body gets what it REALLY craves- loads and loads of bio-available nutrients from eating Raw!

After reading a book or two on the topic, and having met one or two raw foodies and hearing their success stories, we decided to find out more. We found what we were looking for at Leafy Greens, where Serna Kramer taught us more about the wonders of Raw Food.

At her workshop, Introduction to Raw, Serna shares the many healing benefits that raw food can bring to the body and mind. She also demonstrates the immense variety that comes from a little imagination. On the day, Serna demonstrated how to make a vegetable based smoothie that even your children would beg for, butternut soup with a delightful zestiness hard to describe in mere words, and many refreshingly tasty vegetable juices. It was truly refreshing to know that so much taste and goodness could come from such basic raw ingredients. The options are also endless and left up to the imagination of you, as you experiment with your own taste preferences and textures. Not only was the food varied but so were the individuals attending the raw food workshop. Individuals attended from all walks of life and health challenges such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), being overweight, bored of food, diabetes, and anorexia. We were all there sharing a common goal.. to learn about going RAW.

The day was filled with tactile delights as we watched Serna milk almond nuts to form an almond milk from a soggy nut bag … so much for those lattes keeping you going - the nut milks are definitely a new found treat and its surprisingly therapeutic ‘milking’ the bag! Besides its wonderful flavour we also explored the varied uses of coconut oil by decadently lathering it into our skin. And it was not just milk we were drinking that morning; Vegetable juices provide readily available nutrients, and one can reap the benefits of 2 – 3 serving of vegetables into a single glass! The seemingly unlikely combination of green beans, spinach, fennel, and apple juice was given to the group, and this turned out to be a real favourite for the day.

Dehydrated savoury crackers that someone mentioned tasted like sausage, and lentil burgers acclaimed as the best burgers a particular carnivore had ever tasted...makes one realize that our South African meat eating mentality can be swayed by an open mind and a little gastro-ecentricity. And with more colour, texture, and flavour than most restaurants can fathom to dish up.

When someone asked whether raw can cure bad body odour, Serna and her assistant, Katrina, confidently recommend including fennel into the diet. Serna shared her knowledge of various literature, links, and useful products that are central to raw food living, as we lovingly munched away on dehydrated goodies.

We were shown how one can use a dehydrator to make brownies, fruit snacks, and burger patties, and we learned how to sprout a variety of different legumes and seeds, which play a vital role in the raw food diet. There is also an emphasis on balancing the subtle flavours of fresh foods – sweet, salty, bitter, and sour. When one gets this right, raw food becomes a real pleasure, and the taste sensations are limitless. This follows many philosophies of the eastern diet when it comes to ‘whole’ cooking and flavour savouring.

As if we hadn’t snacked and sipped enough, The workshop ended with an oh so scrumptious lunch, made by Ingrid Litman, from Raw Alchemy. Our plates were filled with eclectic flavours, bursting with freshness and imagination. Everything from savoury crackers, dips, and salads, to strawberry and chocolate mouse dessert, too delicious for words.

We are definitely going to take our friends and family to leafy greens restaurant so that they too can savour the taste of raw. And we encourage you to try it out too.


To discover more about the wonders of raw food 'cooking', contact Serna Kramer (Raw Works) 082 579 0440 or serna@telkomsa.net.

Other useful raw food loving links include:
Leafy Greens shop - 0828827300 / antonia@lgcafe.org
Raw Alchemy - 0794 199790 / www.rawalchemy.org
Soaring free Superfoods – www.superfoods.co.za
Jozi-Uncooked - 084-200-3400 / www.joziuncooked.wordpress.com.

About the authors:
* Ryre Cornish – BSc (hons) Psychology & Biochemistry, is a health consultant and Pilates therapist, and is currently studying her BSc in Nutritional Therapy.

* Monica Codevila - Dip. Reflexology & Meridian Therapy, is a health consultant and reflexologist, and is currently studying her BSc in Nutritional Therapy.

How Happiness Affects Us

As part of my nutrition B.Sc., I am currently studying NLP ( Neuro Linguistic Programming) , which is largely about changing the way we see and feel about ourselves and our environment to produce healthy happy outcomes. Not always an easy task I'm sure, because the way we see and feel about these things is deeply ingrained in who we are.

The more sceptical amongst us might ask whether a simple smile = success + happiness. I think yes, to a large degree, it does. But for those of you who have heard the new age mind-over-matter-chatter, and turned a deaf ear to the motivational hype, this is for you.

Research shows that certain happy hormones are increased when people merely anticipate laughter. In NLP we are taught to focus on positive mental imagery to get a similar effect. Psychologist Suzanne Seggerstrom says that “negative thoughts and feelings increase vulnerability to stress”. There is also research to show that immune responses, notably killer T cells, are lower in those who tend to engage in depressive behaviour or negative thought processes.

In terms of this article, a happy person is someone who copes well with stress, who recognises their strengths, and has a sense of self worth. According to Mayo Clinic, happy people take the cake with the following benefits; “ Increased life span, lower levels of distress , greater resistance to the common cold, better psychological and physical well-being, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, and better coping skills during hardships and times of stress”. And with better coping skills comes productivity and general achievements.

So no wonder happiness has become the holy grail in today's society!

The good news is that many specialists in the field of positive psychology also agree that one CAN change their patterns of thinking, to re-habituate gloomy thought processes into happy thought processes.


Some simple tools that are effectively used to do this:

* Turn negative self chatter into positive thoughts. “I can't make it on my own”, can be better translated as “I continue with every effort to make it, knowing that I have people in my life I can talk to, and who support me”

* Reflect on achievements and prior positive experiences and stop harping on negative experiences. Try a daily gratitude journal.

* Focus on your strengths, and incorporate work and activities into your life whereby you can capitalize on such strengths.

Positive thinking does not mean lying to yourself – For example, if you don't have the tools to achieve something particular, don't soldier on towards sure disappointment by convincing yourself that you do. And instead of succumbing to negative self talk that will keep you from ever attempting to achieve something in the first place, tell yourself that you can gain the tools or develop the skills needed to achieve this certain something.

The holy grail of happiness is not a one size fits all and is not an over night success. Many people might agree that it takes time and personal awareness to attain and maintain.

It is good to know that with a little patience and personal observation, happiness, with all its physiological benefits, is within our reach.

My interesting resources:
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro99/web3/Bibbo.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2003/nov/19/1
http://legacy.lclark.edu/dept/chron/positives03.html
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1607865.htm

Alkaline & pH Diet - What is this?

Alkalising your body- What does it mean?

We are often told by natural health care practitioners that maintaining an alkaline pH in our bodies helps support general health and well being. I investigate what this means, and why they keep saying it.

Eating certain foods can result in by-product ashes which make your urine acid or alkaline. Alkaline-ash forming foods include fresh fruit and raw vegetables, and acid-ash forming foods include all animal products, grains, beans and other seeds (The exceptions to this rule can be seen as listed below).

Organic acids would acidify your blood, if it weren't for the body's in-built mechanisms to maintain an alkaline blood pH of 7.35–7.45.

As soon as organic acids are detected in the blood, the body draws from it's own alkaline mineral stores to buffer these acids. Examples of alkaline minerals are potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Calcium and magnesium are lost from bones leading to osteoporosis, while another alkali, ammonia, is lost from muscle tissue leading to muscle wasting. These bases combine with acids to form salts, and are excreted via the kidneys and bladder.

Research shows that the demineralization of bones is especially caused by low blood pH, which is often the result of high consumption of animal protein (high in sulphuric acid) vs vegetables (high in potassium bicarbonate).

When urine pH tests are done using litmus paper, it is the acid levels that are being measured. High level of acid excretion is simply an indicator that the body has a lot of acid to contend with and neutralize. As a result mineral stores may be compromised.

What other medical professionals think:
Most physicians are familiar with extreme acidosis, such as lactic acidosis (from over exercise), ketoacidosis (from severe fat loss), and renal acidosis (from kidney failure). They are, however, not always familiar with the finer imbalances that a high acid diet can cause to ones health. As a result, they often regard the alkaline diet with much scepticism. To fuel controversy, many unqualified claims are made by companies selling alkaline supplements.

The role of alkaline minerals in the alkaline diet:
As explained, chronic low-grade metabolic acidosis can lead to mineral deficiencies. This increases the risk of developing osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, fatigue, weakness, muscle cramping, arrhythmias, anxiety, diabetes, kidney disease, and these deficiencies are implicated in hundreds of other health problems.

Calcium, magnesium, and potassium are electrolytes (conduct electricity) that the body uses for the proper function of cells, tissues, and organs. These minerals are of particular interest because they are so easily used up by pH modulating as well as other metabolic processes, but are not regularly replenished by the typical western diet of sandwiches and meat based dishes.

It is now recognised that chronic low-grade acidosis increases insulin resistance, as well as the risk of kidney stones and kidney failure.

Supplementing with mineral buffers:
When products containing calcium, magnesium, and potassium are sold because they “alkalise your blood” (e.g. Base powders), what they should really say is that they help replenish essential body stores of these alkaline minerals.

On that note, it is important to get these minerals in their most bioavailable form, the best being from mineral rich foods, and the second best being from good quality mineral supplements.

Certain mineral supplements have gotten a bad rep for increasing the risk of mineral deposits forming in the kidneys, gallbladder, and even in blood vessels. This is a heated and complex discussion on it's own.

It is generally agreed however, that ionic and chelated minerals are better absorbed than elemental minerals. Colloidal mineral supplements are popular, but claims for their high level of absorption may not be all that well supported by research.

Avoid using supplements that only state the elemental name, i.e. calcium, or magnesium, in their ingredients list, and ask your product advisor or nutritionist for an ionic, chelated, or food based mineral supplement instead.

If dietary and lifestyle habits that contribute to pH imbalance are not reformed, supplements alone are unlikely to provide sufficient support, and chronic disease may still prevail.

Besides being the best source of absorb able minerals, fruit and vegetables also provide an array of other essential nutrients, without which our bodies would function sub-optimally and would become predisposed to illness. Fruits and vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals, and phytochemicals such as antioxidants and enzymes, that support essential chemical reactions and the healthy functioning of cells.

How to follow an alkaline forming diet:

- Increase vegetables and fruit. These should make up the bulk of your diet.

- Reduce intake of cheese, meat, grains, and refined or processed foods. While all grains tend to produce an acidic ash in the body, I must stress that whole unrefined grains do provide a good source of energy and nutrients, and should be included (in moderation) into a well balanced diet.

- Reduce table salt (sodium chloride). The typical diet provides high levels of table salt, usually hidden in preprepared meals, and pre-packaged foods. Sodium antagonises potassium, and chloride (acid-forming) antagonises bicarbonate (alkaline-forming) levels in the body. Bicarbonate is a useful biochemical buffer.

- Wash fruit and vegetables before eating them, and minimise your intake of pickled and marinated fruit and veg. These are acid forming. It is also worthwhile mentioning that it is generally thought that pesticide residues can increase tendency of fruit to yield acid residues.

- Drink plenty of water, herbal teas, and vegetable juices.

The following list describes which foods form acid residues and which foods form alkaline residues in the body. This is a basic idea, and is compiled from various different sources - There will be minor variations between this list and others found on the topic.

For example, some list milk as slightly acid-forming, and certain fruit are also sometimes listed as acid-forming. Fruit are usually rich in alkalising minerals, as well as natural sugars. There may be nutrient variances depending on farming and storage methods, including chemical residues, and the mineral levels in the soil that these fruit are grown in. These factors may antagonize each other, and can alter the nutrient content of different fruit and their affect on pH.

*If you are interested in trying an alkaline diet out, consider investigating Macrobiotics. Macrobiotic diets are renowned for being low acid-forming.


Acid- forming
- Lentils
- Walnuts, Cashews, Peanuts, Pistachios, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts
- Rice, oats, wheat, corn, rye - in all their forms i.e. bread, pasta, cereals
- Parmesan, Processed (soft) cheeses, Hard cheeses, Gouda, Cottage cheese, Yoghurt
- All Meats including Luncheon meats, Liver, Chicken, Cod, Herring, Trout, Beef, Pork
- Saturated fats, Hydrogenated fats & oils - Beware vegetable oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and margarine
- Eggs
- Soy sauce, Tamari
- Sweets
- Honey
- Artificial sweeteners
- Refined and processed foods
- Alcohol
- Fizzy Drinks
- Tea, Coffee
- Boxed or sweetened fruit juice

Neutral
- Coconuts & coconut milk
- Brazil Nuts
- Buttermilk, Milk, Cream

Alkaline- forming
- All Vegetables
- All Fruit
- Hummus
- Sprouted legumes
- Almonds
- Pumpkin, Sunflower, Sesame, Flax seeds
- Tahini
- Sprouted seeds
- Millet, Buckwheat, Spelt
- All sprouted grains
- Unrefined cold pressed vegetable oils including:Flax, Hemp, Avocado, Olive, Evening Primrose, Borage
- Vegetable juice
- Herbal tea
- Almond milk, Unsweetened soya milk

Where to draw the line:
Moderation is key. Avoid being obsessive about what is and what is not aloud into your diet, but be moderate about including any foods that have been altered by any degree from their natural state. I always say this about food;"If you can pick it off of a tree, or pull it from the earth, then its most likely good for you".

Monitoring the body's acid levels with litmus paper:
Using litmus paper, test your second urination of each day, and compare the colour it shows to that on a pH colour chart. Record this for a period of 10 days. Average the results to get an idea of what your acid levels are like. Most therapists want to see a pH reading of between 6.8 to 7.4.

When someone makes dietary changes to support their health, results can be frustratingly slow to recognize. Ph testing is a simple way to monitor progress and encourage one to take healthy action.

Bibliography:
(...a bit informal, I know, but good for the sake of discussion)
- Acid & Alkaline, Herman Aihara, George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation
- www.quackwatch.org Acid/Alkaline Theory of Disease Is Nonsense, by Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
- http://gerd.emedtv.com/antacids/antacids.html
- http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_acid_alkaline_pH_0.html
- http://cancernd.blogspot.com
- http://www.balance-ph-diet.com/acid_alkaline_food_chart.html
- http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/potassium-000320.htm
- http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/minerals/organic-and-inorganic-minerals.html
- Sparks of Life Colloidal Minerals, Tonita d'Raye, Aweica Inc.
- http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/16/25/18.html

Green Smoothie Recipe = Fun Food!

You need a blender, or a hand held mixer (blender = best)
Serves 2 - 4 people :

Roughly chopped:

* 2 serve fruit - Use your imagination. A mixture of tart, and sweet works well i.e a granny smith apple and a mango, or a few slices pineapple, and a banana.
* 2 serve veg - Choose less fibrous veg. A handful of spinach, mange tout, tender stem(young) broccoli, a carrot, or cucumber work well. Stay away from high fibre veg such as celery, mature broccoli, and sugar snaps. Beetroot just doesn't taste right.

* 1 Tbspn peanut butter, or handful nuts/ seeds of your choice (not flax, unless already ground up)
* add fruit juice till the correct thick smooth drinkable texture is achieved

Other:

- frozen fruit makes it a cold smoothie
- avocado, bnnana, yoghurt, and coconut cream make it extra smooth.
- cocoa and carob make it chocolatey
- berries give it a pretty red colour
- powdered spirulina gives it a crazy green colour and a nutritional boost
- raw oats makes it extra filling

Throw all your chosen ingredients into the blender, and blend until smooth.

Voila! - The end result all depends on how adventurous you got. It can sometimes be a funny colour and have a strange texture, but mostly it tastes AWESOME!

Herbal tea in pregnancy

QUESTION:
Dear Monica
I just wanted to share with you, the night after I had reflexology, I found some Rooibos Camomile tea and had a sachet with water, milk and honey before bedtime. That night I must have gotten up to wee at least ten times. In the morning, I felt dehydrated and very weak from having had so much water loss and also loss of sleep.

I don't see any nutritional value in drinking a herbal tea as it remains a diuretic for me.

Pls advise.

Fatima

ANSWER:
Hi Fatima,

Sorry about the sleepless night!

In this case, it may be that the 'chamomile rooibos' is not a completely herbal tea at all? Look at the ingredients. Often commercial 'herbal' teas are simply flavoured ceylon teas. I find them tasty, yes, but very deceptive!

If it does contain ceylon(black) tea, then it makes absolute sense that you wound wee all night. Black tea is a diuretic, and who wants to keep all those added artificial flavourants inside them anyway!

In the event that the tea you drank really was natural chamomile and rooibos, then Im guessing that it was just that you drank a warm drink too close to bed time. I do not know that these herbs are documented as diuretics.

Please note, it is better to drink fluids two or more hours away from bed time (unless thirsty), especially with the increased pressure on your bladder from baby. Any fluids close to bed time can increase the need to go to the toilet at night.

The following teas can be added to your tea cupboard, and are generally considered safe during pregnancy. They should be consumed as a food - not as medicine, and can deliver wonderful nutrients and fluids to the body.

*It is important to remember that, like many spices, herbs are also medicinal. You are not to self medicate with these herbs, but it is considered safe to incorporate them as a culinary/ dietary addition to your lifestyle.

- Peppermint Leaf may alleviate flatulence, and nausea/ morning sickness.
- Ginger Root may alleviate nausea and vomiting.
- Slippery Elm Bark may alleviate heartburn.
- Oats & Oat Straw may calm nerves.
- Stinging nettle is a nutritional tonic, but also a diuretic. (I would avoid strong diuretics like this, including tea and coffee, if I was you, Fatima. You already have no swelling, which is actually rather important in pregnancy to preserve blood volumes).
- Red Raspberry Leaf may help tone the uterus, improve milk production, alleviate nausea, and ease labor pains (only last trimester)
- Meadow sweet may be a good digestive
- Chamomile may have a calming and digestive effect (I would avoid having chamomile every day though. There are warnings against using it in therapeutic doses during pregnancy. Once again - moderation is key ).

Other teas generally considered safe: rooibos, rosehips, fennel seed (diuretic), spearmint, strawberry leaf, lemon verbena, and lemon grass leaf, alfalfa (last trimester only)

Herbal teas are a good way to increase water intake, while getting nutrients at the same time. Water transports nutrients from the food you eat to your baby and it helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids, severe oedema, and urinary tract infections. Pregnant women should try drink 6 - 8 glasses of water every day with an additional glass of water for every hour of exercise they do.

Check out the following links for more info on herbal teas in pregnancy:
- http://www.napiers.net/health/pregnancy_herbs.html (this is a leading herbal remedy company in the UK)
- http://www.teamuse.com/article_050501.html (please note that chamomile is a potential allergen for those who have reactions to the likes of marigolds, ragweed, daisies, celery or chrysanthemums)
- http://www.thelaboroflove.com/articles/is-it-safe-to-drink-chamomile-tea-during-pregnancy/

Also note that reflexology can increase urinary output. This is a part of the detoxification effect it has on the body.

Hope this helps...

Love,
Monica Codevilla
www.yourhealing.yolasite.com

Nutrition: Making the world a better place

When the world is living off of pre-chopped, mixed, preserved, and packaged foods, it is no wonder the drug (and nutraceutical) industries are brimming with potential, and booming into the medicine cabinets every Joe and Sally.

Most people today function sub optimally as a result of their diets in conjunction with their lifestyles. Surviving this way puts strain on ones body, on their emotional well being, on their relationships, and general drive to achieve their full potential.

And then there are those who have, often through hardships of their own, been exposed to the simple truth of this situation. Having experienced the grimness of dis-ease and the grace of health myself, I feel the drive and compassion to share knowledge and inspire those who want to feel vital, happy and healthy again.

The fact that we are, today more than ever, spending good money on health insurance, doctors visits, drugs, synthesized vitamins, minerals, pick me ups, calm me downs, and fortified foods, means that we are certainly not feeling healthy or happy with ourselves to begin with. It goes with out saying that we are feeling this way because the very place we would naturally derive these health giving nutrients from, is altered, depleted, null and void of anything good at all.

The type of foods we choose to purchase, stock our kitchens with, and feed our families with, makes the difference.

What would the world be like if every one simply new the difference between canned fruit and fresh fruit, deep fried and steamed, white sugar and raw honey, to name but a few?
How would people feel, interact, and live, if they new that their fatigue, bad moods, and aches were the result of their diet, and they knew how to do something about it?

I believe that knowledge such as this empowers people to at least make a choice, where in the absence of knowledge there was no such luxury. Choosing nutrition reflects self love and self respect. And when people start feeling the benefits of vitality and beaming health, they have more to offer the world.

Knowing the effect that correct nutrition has on myself, and people around me, I feel confident in saying that it would make the world a better place if every one chose to feel this way.